4ORCE Majeure – all-new Nissan X-Trail with e-Power and e-4ORCE first drive
We were invited to Slovenia, the ‘green heart of Europe’ to check out Nissan’s all-new, 4th generation X-Trail, with its new unique ‘hybrid-electric’ powertrain and e-4ORCE AWD system. It is an adventurous combination that delivers an ‘EV-like’ driving experience on all terrains, without the need to plug in. With over 21,000 units already gracing NZ […]
Luxury Express – 2022 Lexus LX500d Limited Review
Over the years, Lexus have been, little by little, moving the LX away from being less of a rebadged Toyota Land Cruiser, to a more bespoke luxury SUV. Fast forward to now, and the fourth generation LX is with us. While it is a bit of a dark horse in the family, the new LX500d […]
Brutal but kind – BMW i4 M50 review
Savage and sustainable are words barely ever seen in the same sentence, yet they perfectly describe BMW’s latest addition to their M-Sport range. For not only does the i4 M50 provide stomach churning acceleration, but it’s also 100% battery powered – is this the new M3/M4? BMW NZ let us find out more. The i4 […]
R For Rapid – 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan R Review
Sometimes you experience a car which greatly exceeds your expectations. The new Volkswagen Tiguan R is one such car. Having been thoroughly impressed with the new Golf R I tested only a fortnight prior to this, I couldn’t imagine an R variant of the popular Tiguan SUV would be as good. In fact, I was […]
Fresh Focus – 2022 Ford Focus ST-Line X MHEV review
In the automotive world, lower/no emissions and greater fuel economy are the name of the game right now, therefore plug-ins and BEV’s are undoubtedly on the charge. However, what if a full EV isn’t your thing but yet you still want less environmental/wallet impact, decent performance and advanced technology? Well the answer may lie in […]
Amped up ATTO-Tude – BYD ATTO 3 review NZ
I must admit to being somewhat nonplussed about the BYD ATTO 3 prior to attending its recent NZ launch. After all, do we really need another bland, BEV SUV with questionable build quality and minimal EV only range – but boy was I incorrect. Not only does the brand come with a cool backstory and […]
R United – 2022 Volkswagen Golf R Review
The Volkswagen Golf R. With the exception of the GTi, for many, this is the ultimate Golf. Eight generations later, the R is still with us and in my view, can easily match, and in some cases surpass, the GTi in terms of performance and cult following. So, when Volkswagen New Zealand allowed me to […]
Tough as Chuck – Next Gen Ford Ranger Wildtrak Review
With his slick moves and overall toughness, martial arts expert Chuck Norris simply wowed me (and many others) throughout the ‘80s, however, it was his role as Cordell Walker in the 90s hit series Walker Texas Ranger that really impressed me the most. His dogged determination, ability to conquer all terrains, from the city to […]
Summit’ extra special from Jeep – 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L review
When Jeep NZ announced a while back that there was a new, bigger, more luxurious Grand Cherokee on its way we were more than intrigued. Well now it’s arrived and we got to check out the Summit model. Paraphrasing, Jim Morrison, Vice President and Head of Jeep brand North America said “the all-new Jeep Grand […]
Mildly Hybrid and mildly black – Mazda CX-30 SP MHEV Blackout Edition
With its compact size, design tweaks and mild-hybrid efficiency there’s a lot to like about Mazda’s CX-30 SP MHEV Blackout Edition, but could they have done a little bit more? Mazda NZ gave us the keys for a few days to find out. Alright, so when a vehicle brand usually releases a ‘Blackout Edition’, visions […]